Padres fans' dream scenario for 2026 manager might be staring them in the face

In the blink of an eye, the San Diego Padres' offseason urgency flipped from a gradual rebuild, to "We need to do something literally right now."

Shockingly, 57-year-old manager Mike Shildt announced his retirement after two successful seasons at the helm. With a leader now gone, San Diego needs to fill this vacancy immediately, all before they progress with signing new players. So, who should they go after? There are plenty of options, but there may be one surprising, yet perfect fit to be the Friars' new manager.

If AJ Preller and his front office staff are looking for their next savvy move, look no further than turning Yu Darvish into a manager.

Padres should entertain idea of Yu Darvish becoming next manager

As it is, the Padres are in a bit of a bind with Darvish's contract. The 39-year-old right-hander is under contract through the 2028 season to complete a hefty six-year, $108 million contract. Following a season that was headlined by an injury that kept him off the roster through the first week of July, Darvish simply did not look like himself once he started pitching again. He even considered retirement during this ordeal.

A career strikeout pitcher, Darvish posted an 8.5 K/9 in 2025, which is the worst of his illustrious resume. Struggling to get batters to swing and miss - like he is famous for - Darvish also registered a 5.38 ERA. That leaves the Padres two options for Darvish heading into 2026: Either trade him, or move him to the bullpen. Or!?! The Padres could open Door No. 3, and do the unthinkable (or completely obvious) move of transitioning him into a managerial role.

Now, this isn't as much of a galaxy brain move as fans may think. Darvish is heralded by teammates and other team personnel for his commitment to watching film, which isn't to just benefit himself. Darvish has a keen understanding for the game that has helped both pitchers and hitters on the Padres.

"Darvish, he’s been giving me tips and tales on my approach," Machado explained. “Sometimes you’ve got to listen to these guys who watch a lot of video."

"I mean, he’s smart — one of the smartest guys we have on our team," Machado said. "He spends hours nitpicking hitters’ approaches. I don’t think there’s anyone on our team who does more reports than he does."

He's already a natural leader, and one with intelligence. If Darvish were to actually become manager of the Padres this upcoming season, it would be difficult for the team to navigate out of his current contract, so he may be one of the highest-paid coaches despite having no real experience.

It could be worth it, though. He has the trust of Padres players already, and he has gone out of his way to make his teammates better. Maybe it wouldn't be the worst avenue to pursue, considering how baseball is extremely reliant on analytics. Having a five-time All-Star pitcher understanding these metrics, mixed with his natural feel for the game, could be the perfect recipe for the future of the Padres' coaching staff.